


Not Alone

by BabyinaTrenchcoat67



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Bat Family, Big Brother Jason Todd, Dick Grayson only in text, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Swearing, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-18
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2019-02-03 23:43:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12758688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BabyinaTrenchcoat67/pseuds/BabyinaTrenchcoat67
Summary: He heard a strange noise. Something that almost sounded like a… Sob? He reached to the wall behind him and flicked the light switch, revealing a still fully costumed Red Robin. He lowered his weapon.“Fuck! You guys really need to stop breaking into my apartment. Do you know how close I just got to shooting you?”“Sorry.” Tim replied, scrubbing his face with his hand, looking even more exhausted than he usually did. He sat hunched over, elbows resting on his knees and his eyes were rimmed red. ‘So I did hearing crying.’He glanced over to the digital clock that sat in the corner of the room. ‘3:17’‘Shit... Not good’





	Not Alone

Despite the heavy armour, he landed lightly on the balcony outside his apartment. The helmet unclasped with a characteristic hiss, followed by a satisfied sigh as the cool air of the Gotham night brushed his hair. It’d been a good patrol. Tonight had been a good night for Jason. One where he actually felt as though he’d actually done some good for his city, one where he felt that he’d began to make up for all the mistakes that he had made over the past few years…

_‘Well, maybe not’…_

He shook his head, as if to shake the thoughts away but his good mood had already been dampened. He sighed again as he pushed the window open and stepped through into his living room. As he did so the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Something was wrong. He carefully pulled his guns out of the holster on his thigh and scanned the room, his eye catching the shadow of a person sat on his couch. He raised the weapon, aiming it at the unknown intruder. His finger brushed against the trigger as he stalked closer to the shadow. And then, he heard a strange noise. Something that almost sounded like a… _Sob?_ He reached to the wall behind him and flicked the light switch, revealing a still fully costumed Red Robin. He lowered his weapon.

“Fuck! You guys really need to stop breaking into my apartment. Do you know how close I just got to shooting you?”

“Sorry.” Tim replied, scrubbing his face with his hand, looking even more exhausted than he usually did. He sat hunched over, elbows resting on his knees and his eyes were rimmed red. _‘So I did hearing crying.’_

He glanced over to the digital clock that sat in the corner of the room. _‘3:17’_

_‘Shit... Not good’_

He huffed but softened his tone ,“It’s okay, just next time… Call out or something so I know not to murder you”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

He placed the guns down on the coffee table and shuffled awkwardly, not entirely sure what to do. He hoped the kid would just come out with what he wanted, but Tim seemed content to silently sit with head in his hands. Instead of engaging he went about stripping the rest of his armour, stepping back into his bedroom to change into some sweatpants and a t-shirt. However, when he re-entered the living room the kid still hadn’t moved. If anything he looked even more dejected than he had done before. Jason sighed again, running his fingers through his hair. Damn, he was not qualified for this. Jason Todd didn’t do feelings. Hell, he was practically the poster boy for unhealthy coping mechanisms. But, this was his brother. Tim needed him.

“What’s up?” He asked bluntly.

“I don’t really want to talk about it”

Jason could understand that. And while someone like Dick would probably push, insisting that they needed to know what was the matter Jason let it lie. Instead he sat down on the couch next to his little brother, not too close meaning that the kid still had space but close enough to provide a comforting presence. He cleared his throat.

“Not that I’m not happy to see you Timmy but, why me? I’m hardly the touch-y feel-y type. I mean, I’m guessing you don’t want to see Bruce right now, but Alfie’s pretty good at this sort of thing. And hell, Dick’s practically a fucking living Hallmark card.”

Tim let out a small chuckle, before his face fell again. “Sorry if I’m in the way. I just… I… I can’t be in the Batcave right now. Or the manor.” He looked pleadingly up at Jason, who nodded in response. “And Dick. After the whole Robin thing I just can’t… I just trust you more.”

A surprised smile spread across his face, “You trust me?” Tim nodded in response. “In that case, you can definitely stay.” He said to his little brother, giving him a small wink before rising from the couch and heading towards the kitchen.

“I’m guessing you need to crash here?” He got a nod in response. “And I’m also guessing that you don’t have a change of clothes hidden in your suit?” Tim chuckled again, before shaking his head. “Okay, well I’ll grab you a shirt and you can grab a shower while I make us something to eat. Sound good?”

“You don’t need to-”

He shook his head at his brother’s stubbornness. “Listen baby bird, I’m going to be cooking anyway because it’s been a long ass day and I’m fucking starving. And I know for a fact that you don’t eat enough. So, I’m going to make fajitas and you’re going to have a shower and once we’re done you’re going to sit down and eat. Capiche?”

“Okay.”

“Great! Shower’s this way.” He said, leading the younger man through his bedroom and into the en-suite bathroom. “You get in, I’ll leave the shirt outside the door for you.”

He grabbed a random t-shirt from a drawer in his dresser and lest it neatly folded outside the bathroom door before turning his attention to the kitchen. He took out the chicken he had in the fridge, and sliced it methodically alongside peppers and onion before mixing them all in spices and dumping them into and hot pan. Next, he took out wraps, grated cheese and retrieved salsa and soured cream from the fridge and depositing them in different dishes. As he cooked he thought of the rest of the Bat brood. They’d probably be worrying. They were a dysfunctional family, but they all still cared deeply about each other and instincts told him that Timmy hadn’t told anyone where he went. Jason guessed it probably wouldn’t be too long until he had an extremely distressed Nightwing crashing through his window, which seemed to be the opposite of what Tim needed right now. Instead he pulled out his phone.

_3:26 To: Goldie_

Drake’s here if you were wondering

_3:27 From: Goldie_

Thank God! Is he okay?

_3:29 To: Goldie_

He’s fine

_3:30 From: Goldie_

Are you sure? Do you need me to come over?

_3:30 To: Goldie_

Do NOT come over. He’s fine! I don’t fucking need any more of you in my apartment. If you show up I swear I will shoot you.

_3:31 From: Goldie_

Whatever you say Jaybird ;) 

He rolled his eyes, he hated Dickface’s passive aggressive smiley faces. But at least that disaster had been avoided.

Jason had just finished putting the fajitas together when Tim emerged from the bedroom, wet hair dripping water on the borrowed t-shirt. He looked significantly better than he had twenty minutes ago. He stood a little taller, his eyes weren’t red anymore and he wore a small bemused smile.

“Wonder Woman? Really?” he said indicating at the shirt he was wearing.

“Hell yeah! Wonder Woman is a badass.” He all but shouted “She could kick your ass.”

“Well, she could kick yours too.” Tim replied slightly petulantly, but the smile stayed on his face.

“Yeah, of course she could. I wouldn’t last ten minutes against Wonder Woman.” This prompted a laugh from Tim, and Jason couldn’t help but feel glad. Despite the slight feeling of resentment towards the kid on occasion, Tim was his brother and although he may not always show it he deeply cared for them. “That’s why she’s the best member of the Justice League.”

“Is that really how you judge the Justice League members? By how easily they can beat you?” He asked incredulously.

“Of course, although Wonder Woman and the Flash are the only ones I couldn’t take.” He watched as Tim finished the fajita, he glad that the kid was actually consuming something other than coffee or energy drinks.  

“Okay I’m interested.” Tim said as he leaned forward to pick up another fajita. “How do you think you can beat Superman? Clark is bulletproof, that kinda makes your weapon useless.”

“That’s true.” He nodded, “Normal bullets would be useless and I unfortunately can’t punch the fucker. Well, at least not without breaking my hand. Although, if I was going into a fight with Supes I would make sure to help myself to some of that Kryptonite that Bruce keeps stored in case the boy scout goes rogue.”

“Doesn’t that count as cheating?” Tim countered, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

“Timmy, Timmy, Timmy… When do I ever fight fair?”

“Good point” He laughed. “Okay then, what about Aquaman?”

Jason sat and thought for a minute. “Well he’s more durable than a normal person right?” Tim nodded. “But he’s not completely bulletproof. Which means if I shoot him enough he should still go down. I would just make sure not to fight him near the ocean and I should be fine.”

“Green Arrow?”

“Queen? He’s too easy. He’s just a wannabe batman with a shitty bow and some cheap pyrotechnics. That would be over in minutes.”

Tim sat considering for a minute. “You know,” he said “I think we could probably beat the Flash too.”

“Really? How’d you think you’d manage that. He’s too fast.”

“He is fast.” Tim said, nodding his head in agreement, “However, freezing technology has been used to slow him down in the past. And at normal speed, he’s much less skilled than us. Under those circumstances we’d definitely win.”

“Yeah, but didn’t Star Labs do something to his suit to stop that happening after that Captain Cold guy?”

Tim hummed in reply, “They did. But WE has more money than Star Labs.” He said wryly. His eyes looked calculating and in that moment Jason saw the detective, the vigilante, the boy that Ra’s al Ghul saw as a threat. Jason was struck by just how dangerous Tim could be and he couldn’t help but feel proud. He smirked.

“You sly bastard!”

“Oh but Jason, when do we ever fight fair?”

He couldn’t contain his laugh. “Fair enough.” He said, collecting the now empty plates and depositing them in the sink before filling it with warm soapy water. He glanced back to Tim who was looking back down at his shirt thoughtfully.

“Would you ever wear a Batman shirt?” He asked quietly.

“Fuck no. I wear his symbol on my chest every night, he does not need his ego boosting more by me also wearing it in the day.” He turned fully to look at Tim, who had visibly deflated since Bruce was brought back up.  “Look, I don’t know what he did this time to mess with your head, but don’t listen to him. He’s arrogant and thinks the only way that works is his, which we both know is not true. You’re a smart kid Drake and you’re a good hero. Don’t let the broody bastard get you down.”

“Thanks Jay.” He said, stifling a yawn. “You’re a good brother.” Jason rolled his eyes before looking back at the clock. _'4:02.'_

“Sure.” He said slightly unconvinced. “Anyway, you look exhausted. You can take the bed.” He lead the younger man to the room, where he grabbed a spare blanket from the cupboard in the corner. Before he could leave however, he felt a pair of arms circle his waist. He froze for a moment, before returning the hug. It was a little awkward. Neither of them were really hug people, but the small gesture of comfort felt good. It was something they both needed. When they separated Jason carried on towards the living room, but before he closed the door he heard a small voice say, “Night Jay.”

“Good Night, Baby Bird.”

Jason settled himself on the couch as best he could. His legs were too long and hung off the edge and the cushion was a really uncomfortable pillow, but he couldn’t find it in him to care. And just before he fell asleep he thought that maybe tonight he had made up for some of his past mistakes.

 


End file.
